Kane and able

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in next month’s Indian Premier League, taking the responsibility from David Warner after the latter was banned from the 11th edition of the cash rich summer league.

Kane had made his IPL debut for Sunrisers in 2015 and has played 15 matches so far, scoring 411 runs at a strike rate of 129.24. His experience as captain, the ability to accelerate scoring with big hits, knack of engineering crucial breakthroughs via off-breaks and the reputation as a fine fielder seems to have swung the decision in his favour.

“I have accepted the role to stand in as captain for this season. It’s an exciting opportunity with a talented group of players. I look forward to the challenges ahead,” the 27-year-old said post the announcement on Thursday.

City cricket circles welcomed the decision to appoint Kane as captain. “He is the best choice to lead, after David Warner. Kane is a level-headed cricketer and is best suited for the job. He is one of the best captains in the world today and leads New Zealand from the front. In the IPL, where only four overseas players are allowed in a team, he did not get to perform as much in the past. But now captaincy gives him an added advantage to exhibit his batting skills. I am sure the team owners would have looked at Shikhar Dhawan too as an option, but when it comes to captaincy, Kane is a better choice,” feels coach John Manoj.

Former cricketer Arshad Ayub feels Kane’s leadership qualities make him a good fit. “He is the best choice when it comes to leading the side. As captain, he needs to handle players from different countries and since he has played against most of the national sides, players will be comfortable with him. Also, Kane is a very calm person who gels with the team. That gives him an edge,” he said.

Hyderabad Ranji player P. Akshath Reddy feels that Kane has experience on his side, and this might have prompted SRH to choose him as their leader. “He has been leading New Zealand for quite some time and is obviously experienced. If you consider the current set of players in the team, Kane has better experience of leading a team. Another advantage to the team would be that Kane plays all formats pretty well,” he said.